Another major step forward: Senator Tom Harkin tells Politico that the Senate will take up amendments to its health care bill via the reconciliation process:
The House, he said, will first pass the Senate bill after Senate leaders demonstrate to House leaders that they have the votes to pass reconciliation in the Senate.
Harkin made the comments after a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office including Harkin and Sens. Baucus, Dodd, Durbin, Schumer and Murray.
This is consistent with what House sources said yesterday. The key now is giving the House some sort of assurance that the Senate will, in fact, pass the amendments via reconciliation. I continue to think it will involve some sort of letter to the House, signed either by Senate leadership or 51 Democrats.